'Outlander' Star Caitriona Balfe Talks Romance

There’s no denying that Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan have an on-screen chemistry that is off-the-charts hot, providing epic love-making scenes that will stand the test of time. Ironically, though, the two 36-year-olds (who are as beautiful in person as they are talented) have remained extremely hush about their love lives since the hit Starz show Outlander premiered two summers ago. The love they portray on screen, which takes place in the 18th century, is nothing short of captivating. There’s something whimsical about a time before Tinder, “ghosting,” or the DM, when relationships just seemed to thrive in a pure, romantic way. I know I wish romance was still old-school. Anyone with me?

It’s good to know I’m not the only one who can’t help but wonder if this chemistry the two have on the show pours into their real lives. For one, there’s this romantic, “sensual scenes” montage that should be viewed ASAP. Here, Balfe and Heughan learn that everyone wants to know who they’re dating, and here, the stars answer if they’re dating each other (which they’ve sadly denied time and time again, by the way). OK, maybe they’re not into each other like that in real life, but what or who are they into? I needed answers, so when I caught up with the cast and crew at LA’s Paley Center for Media, I picked the brain of the leading lady herself to try and get some.

Balfe remains mysterious when it comes to her relationship status, which I give her props for. Turns out, though, she agrees with me in that there’s something about 18th century romance that is just so much more appealing than the dating climate we’re in these days. “I definitely think the art of letter-writing is such a beautiful, romantic thing and it’s very sad that we’ve seemed to have lost that,” she says. “I think people were a lot more present then and you didn’t have as many distractions as you have nowadays.”

Ain’t that the truth. However, Balfe weighs the pros and cons, and does see how modern-day romance maybe isn’t all that bad after all. “But, I also think nowadays there’s a much greater emotional evolution that probably makes things somewhat easier,” the actress says. There are also showers now, which is probably crucial. “Not for the romance,” Balfe jokes, “But for the hygiene.”

Maybe I should take a page out of Balfe’s book and learn to accept and see the positives of what the world has become in terms of relationships. I still won’t bring myself to join Tinder, though. If Heughan was on there, that would be a different story.

Images: Starz; Giphy